Government defends fees as students march in protest

Finance 'no barrier' to attending university, say policy makers

Students protest in central Zagreb as part of today's international day of action demanding free education and insisted that that education should not be regulated by the market. Photograph: Nikola Solic/Reuters

Wednesday 5 November 2008 05.36 EST
First published on Wednesday 5 November 2008 05.36 EST

The government has insisted that finance will not stop people from going to university, as thousands of students prepare to protest over tuition fees.

The day of protest organised by the National Union of Students is aimed at urging the government to abolish university tuition fees and introduce a national bursary system.

The bursary system would base financial support on how much students need it rather than where they are studying.

A spokesman for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills insisted the government would make sure that finance would be no barrier to higher education.

"With both applications and acceptances to university at an all time high, there is no evidence that students are being put off going to university because of a lack of finance," he said.

"Undergraduates starting degree courses do not have to pay tuition fees before beginning their studies and only start repayments once they have left university and are earning over £15,000 per year.

"For someone on the average graduate starting salary of £19,000, that is a repayment of £6.92 per week.

"We are committed to ensuring finance is no barrier to going to university which is why last year we committed to provide two-thirds of students with a full or partial grant - a commitment which we will continue to deliver."

Danielle Grufferty, president of Liverpool's guild of students, was today riding round the city on a Routemaster bus to gain support for the campaign against the government.

"We've spoken to a hundred schoolchildren and sixth-formers getting them to sign postcards calling on government that the voice of students in local communities needs to be heard when they review fees next year," she said.

"Students make up 10% of the community's population. If the HE funding system doesn't change and begins to exclude some students it will have an effect on the city's economy and its diversity."